Environmental Protection & Sustainable Travel
Croatia boasts excellent water quality (regularly ranked No. 1 in the EU) and impressive natural treasures. On the other hand, the country struggles with typical problems of mass tourism:
- Overtourism: Since 2019, Dubrovnik limits the number of cruise passengers to 4,000 per day (previously up to 10,000). Hvar Town and Split also reach their capacity limits in July/August.
- Water Scarcity: On the islands, drinking water is brought by pipeline or tanker. Saving water is not a request but a necessity.
- Waste: Especially on remote islands, a problem — plastic waste on beaches is unfortunately common.
- Construction Sins: Illegal construction projects on the coast (apartmentization) threaten the landscape.
What You Can Do
- Travel in the off-season (May/June, September/October) — better weather, fewer crowds, lower prices
- Choose local konobas over chains — your money stays in the community
- Bring a water bottle — tap water is drinkable everywhere
- Use public transport/ferries instead of rental cars, where possible
- Visit less-known places — Šibenik instead of Dubrovnik, Vis instead of Hvar, Nin instead of Zadar